Final Projects

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Overview


The Summer Project explored possible applications of digital storytelling with your students. The Final Project is the implementation of a specific application and a presentation about it.

Final Project Components

  • Unit Description

  • Powerpoint Presentation

    • Present with your audience in mind: a group of people who may want to implement your project with their students
    • Aim for about 10 minutes in length (18-20 if doing a combined presentation with your partner)
    • Base your presentation on the information in your Unit Description, but do not feel bound by its structure. (In other words, avoid simply making a slide for each section.)
    • Identify the instructional and technological challenges you faced and your response to them
    • Provide anecdotal descriptions that convey the spirit of the project
    • Feel free to add additional information that will enhance your presentation

  • Sample Digital Storytelling Examples (integrated in Presentation)

    • Representative examples form videos created by and/or with your students
    • Examples do not need to be complete videos.

Guidelines for Presentations

  • Be creative in your presentations! Use the digital storytelling techniques you've learned about to help your audience feel like they're at your school and doing the unit themselves.
  • Configure movies to start when you click them, rather than immediately upon arrival to the page. Start the movie by clicking on the movie itself. (Clicking outside of it will advance the presentation to the next slide.)
  • Avoid reading from your slides. Use the text as a springboard for what you have to say, and beware of having too much text on a slide.
  • Practice/rehearse the presentation and provide feedback to each other.
  • Have fun! Use humor, where appropriate.

Technical Preparation for Presentations

  • It is VERY important that you bring all of the necessary media with you to the final workshop. Videos are NOT saved inside PowerPoint presentations, but exist as separate files.
  • Make sure that you bring the exported video rather than the raw video or MovieMaker project file. Exported video files are typically .WMV (PC) or .MOV (Mac).
    When exporting from MovieMaker ("Finish Movie"), we recommend, on the "Movie Setting" screen, clicking "Other settings" and selecting "Video for LAN (768 Kbps)".
  • We highly recommend saving the (exported) videos in the same folder as the PowerPoint so that the folder can be copied onto your flash drive.
  • An automated approach to collecting your files for presentation is to "package" your PowerPoint presentation as we did this summer. Instructions are below.
  • To do so on PCs, choose "Package for CD" from PowerPoint's file menu and choosing "Copy to Folder".
  • Verify that your files are correct by attempting to present on another computer at school or at home.

Packaging PowerPoint Presentations

PC

Creating a package on a PC varies depending on the version of PowerPoint you are running. The following instructions are for Office 2003. To create a package on a PC, save your presentation, then:
  1. Choose Package for CD from the File menu.
  2. Click Options.
  3. Unclick PowerPoint Viewer.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Click Copy to Folder.
  6. Give an appropriate name (for the folder to contain your files) and choose where you wish to save it. (The default is generally your Documents folder.)
  7. Click OK.
  8. Wait for it to copy.
  9. Click Close.

Macintosh

To create a package on a Mac, save your presentation, then:
  1. Choose Save As from the File menu.
  2. Choose PowerPoint Package from the Format popup menu (below the file location window).
  3. Give an appropriate name (for the folder to contain your files) and choose where you wish to save it.
  4. Click Save.